Celebrating the Fourth of July with Philanthropy

As we enjoy the 4th of July weekend with family and friends, backyard barbecues, parades and fireworks, we should also remember what July 4th really means. We celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and our freedom.

Fourth of July Fun Facts

• On July 4th, 1776 there were 2.5 Americans living in the United States. According to the U.S. and World Population Clock there will be 318.36 Americans as of July 4, 2014.
• It’s estimated that 74 million Americans are planning to barbecue this Independence Day weekend.
• The USDA estimates that the total number of hogs and pigs in the U.S. (as of March 1, 2014) is 62.9 million. Chances are that a hot dog or pork sausage consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa, which is home to 19.7 million hogs and pigs.
• 6.1 billion pounds is the total estimated production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2013. There is a good chance that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on your backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for nearly one-sixth of the nation’s total production.
• 6.3 million total cases of beer are sold on Independence Day weekend, the most popular holiday for beer purchases, followed by Labor Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day and Christmas.
• 60.2% of U.S. families owned an American flag in 2011.
• 35.5 million people plan to travel by automobile over the July 4th holiday.
• 3.2 million number of travelers will fly during the Independence Day holiday.

Celebrate Philanthropy on the 4th of July Weekend

Our sense of patriotism, pride and appreciation for living in the United States remains as strong as ever, as evidenced by the many celebrations expected across the country this July 4th.

As we celebrate how proud we are to be Americans on the Fourth of July, take a moment to reflect on all the men and women of the military who have given their lives defending our country and considered ways in which you could honor their sacrifice. Why not give with confidence to military and veteran-related charities this Independence Day?

Here is a Philanthropist List of military charities that you can donate to this Fourth of July weekend:

• Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation
• Armed Services YMCA of the USA
• Fisher House Foundation
• Homes For Our Troops
• Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
• Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America
• National Military Family Association
• Operation Homefront – N.O.
• Semper Fi Fund / Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
• United States Veterans Initiative

The Fourth of July allows us to appreciate the lives and freedom that we have as Americans. The U.S. Military is an important service that helps to protect our country and keep it safe. Give thanks to our military for protecting our freedom by making an effort to participate in philanthropy and also encourage others to give this Fourth of July weekend!

Original Source: http://philanthropistlist.com/2014/07/celebrating-fourth-july-philanthropy/ 

Gold ETF List

Gold ETF List

The gold ETF list displays 16 gold ETF and 7 gold ETN products in the U.S. today. In total the gold ETF list contains products with over $90 billion of assets. The four preset gold ETF list categories are:

• Physical gold ETFs: shares are backed by bars of gold.
• Gold stock ETFs: own stock in gold focused companies.
• Gold ETNs: debt issued by banks to provide a stated outcome.
• Leveraged & inverse gold ETPs: long or short, often use magnification.

The gold ETF list can be sorted by many different elements.

To view the list, please visit: http://www.goldetfs.biz/gold-etf-list

Top 5 Highest Yielding High Yield Bond Mutual Funds

MPHAX | DVHYX | OPCHX | DPHYX | NHFIX

  

 

High yield securities are the preferred option for investors who have a reasonable appetite for risk and who are willing to forgo equity growth for current income. This category of securities comprises of corporate bonds of low quality, convertible securities and preferred stock, all of which carry a significant amount of risk. Mutual funds are a prudent method to invest in this class of funds as they significantly reduce the risk involved by holding a well diversified portfolio. Such funds may also seek capital appreciation as a secondary objective.

Below we will share with you the 5 highest yielding Zacks #1 ranked high yield mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) as we expect these mutual funds to outperform their peers in the future. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all high yield funds, then click here.

Mutual Fund	Sec Yield
MassMutual Premier High Yield A	9.58%
Transamerica Partners High Yield Bond	9.56%
Oppenheimer Champion Income A	8.72%
Delaware Pooled High-Yield Bond	8.16%
Northern High Yield Fixed Income	7.66%

MassMutual Premier High Yield A (MPHAX) invests a large proportion of its assets in fixed-income securities of lower quality. The fund may also purchase other fixed-income securities such as convertible securities, preferred stocks, warrants and bank borrowings. The high yield mutual fund returned 14.24% over the last one year period.

Scott D. Roth is the fund manager and she has managed this high yield mutual fund since 2010.

Transamerica High Yield Bond (DVHYX) seeks a high level of current income. The fund invests in preferred stocks and high yield debt securities. The majority of the fund’s assets are used to purchase junk bonds and related securities. It utilizes an underlying fund to purchase these instruments. The high yield has a three year annualized return of 11.07%.

The high yield mutual fund has an expense ratio of 1.10% compared to a category average of 1.18%.
Oppenheimer Champion Income A (OPCHX) invests at least 60% of its assets in high yield fixed income securities with lower ratings. The balance of the fund’s assets is utilized to purchase other debt instruments, common stocks or cash equivalents. The high yield mutual fund returned 15.83% over the last one year period.

As of December 2010, this high yield mutual fund held 216 issues, with 2.48% of its total assets invested in Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market E.

Delaware Pooled High-Yield Bond (DPHYX) seeks total return. The fund invests the majority of its assets in high-yield fixed income securities. Not more than 25% of its assets may be utilized to purchase securities issued by companies domiciled abroad. The high yield mutual fund has a five year annualized return of 9.74%.
Chuck M. Devereux is the fund manager and she has managed this high yield mutual fund since 2007.
Northern High Yield Fixed Income (NHFIX) invests the majority of its assets in bond of low quality. The fund may also invest in higher quality securities during temporary defensive periods. It focuses on acquiring domestic securities, but may also purchase foreign instruments. The high yield mutual fund has a ten year annualized return of 6.87%.

The high yield mutual fund has a minimum initial investment of $2,500 and an expense ratio of 0.89% compared to a category average of 1.18%.

To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all high yield mutual funds, then click here. 

About Zacks Mutual Fund Rank 

By applying the Zacks Rank to mutual funds, investors can find funds that not only outpaced the market in the past but are also expected to outperform going forward. Learn more about the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank at http://www.zacks.com/funds.

Top 5 Best Performing Small Cap Mutual Funds

Investors aiming to reap substantial profits in the short run often turn to small cap funds. Though comparatively riskier than other fund categories, these funds have the ability to deliver appreciably higher returns due to two principal reasons. Firstly, they generate high sales volumes in a rising market, leading to a spike in their prices. In addition, research has shown that smaller firms reinvest their profits back into their business. This often reassures shareholders of better performance over the long term.

Below we will share with you 5 top rated small-cap mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) as we expect these mutual funds to outperform their peers in the future. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all small-cap funds, then click here.

Mutual Fund	Zacks Rank	Total Return YTD
Federated MDT Small Cap Growth A	#1 Strong Buy	15.3%
Federated MDT Small Cap Core A	#1 Strong Buy	13.8%
SunAmerica Focused Small-Cap Value	#1 Strong Buy	13.3%
MMA Praxis Small Cap A	#1 Strong Buy	12.9%
Glenmede Small Cap Equity	#1 Strong Buy	12.5%

Federated MDT Small Cap Growth A (QASGX) seeks long-term capital growth. The fund invests a large share of its assets in domestic small cap companies. It focuses on acquiring common stock and invests in firms which are identical to those which are part of the Russell 2000 growth index. The small-cap mutual fund has a three year annualized return of 2.93%.

The small-cap mutual fund has a minimum initial investment of $1,500 and an expense ratio of 1.75% compared to a category average of 1.52%.

Federated MDT Small Cap Core A (QASCX) invests the majority of its assets in small-cap companies. The fund focuses on acquiring stocks of small-cap companies with similar characteristics to those included in the Russell 2000 index. This small-cap mutual fund returned 33.42% over the last one year period.

The fund manager is Daniel Mahr and he has managed this small-cap mutual fund since 2008.
SunAmerica Focused Small-Cap Value A (SSSAX) seeks capital appreciation over the long term. A large proportion of the fund’s assets are utilized to purchase stocks of small-cap companies whose market capitalizations lie within the range of the Russell 2000 index. The small-cap mutual fund has a ten year annualized return of 7.68%.

As of December 2010, this small-cap mutual fund held 44 issues, with 4.92% of its total assets invested in SPDR KBW Regional Banking.

MMA Praxis Small Cap A (MMSCX) invests the majority of its assets in equity securities of small-cap companies. These firms must have market values between $400 million and $2.5 billion at the time of investment. This small-cap mutual fund returned 37.79% over the last one year period.
The small-cap mutual fund has a minimum initial investment of $2,500 and an expense ratio of 1.69% compared to a category average of 1.52%.

Glenmede Small Cap Equity (GTCSX) seeks capital appreciation over the long term at low levels of risk. The fund invests heavily in equity securities of domestic small-cap which are attractively priced relative to their underlying value. The small-cap mutual fund has a five year annualized return of 4.91%.

The fund manager is Robert J. Mancuso and he has managed this small-cap mutual fund since 1996.
To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all small-cap mutual funds, then click here.

About Zacks Mutual Fund Rank 

By applying the Zacks Rank to mutual funds, investors can find funds that not only outpaced the market in the past but are also expected to outperform going forward. Learn more about the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank at http://www.zacks.com/funds.

Top 5 European Mutual Funds - Best of Funds

With a mix of both stable developed markets and emerging economies, the European region makes up one of the most diverse economic zones in the world. Large volumes of foreign direct investment and high commodity prices have ensured that emerging markets in regions like the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe have continued to grow at a fast pace. At the same time developed markets are on the verge of recovering from the global economic crisis. European mutual funds tap into the unique strengths of this vibrant region and are a natural choice for those seeking to grow their investments.

Below we will share with you 5 top rated European mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) as we expect these mutual funds to outperform their peers in the future. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all European funds, then click here. 

T. Rowe Price European Stock (PRESX) invests the majority of its assets in companies located in European countries. It usually invests in at least five countries at any given time. Common stocks constitute its major investments. The European mutual fund has a five year annualized return of 4.04%.

Dean Tenerelli is the fund manager and has managed this European mutual fund since 2005.
U.S. Global Investors Eastern European (EUROX) seeks capital appreciation over the long term. A large proportion of its assets are used to purchase equity and equity related securities of companies from Eastern Europe. The European mutual fund has a ten year annualized return of 21.25%.
As of December 2010, this European mutual fund held 52 issues, with 10.17% of its total assets invested in Sberbank of Russia OJSC.

Fidelity Nordic (FNORX) invests primarily in securities with economic linkages to the Nordic region. Not more than 35% of its assets may be allocated to an industry which makes up more than 20% of the Nordic market. The European mutual fund returned 24.58% in the last one year period.
The European mutual fund has a minimum initial investment of $2,500 and an expense ratio of 1.10% compared to a category average of 1.69%.

Henderson European Focus A (HFEAX) seeks long-term capital growth. The fund invests the majority of its assets in equity securities of European companies. Companies invested in must be located in Europe or their principal office or major trading market must be located in the region. The European mutual fund has a three year annualized return of 7.03%.

Stephen Peak is the fund manager and has managed this European mutual fund since 2001.
Columbia European Equity A (AXEAX) invests a large proportion of its assets in equity securities of growth oriented European companies. It focuses on acquiring securities issued from mature markets, but may also invest in emerging market stocks. The European mutual fund returned 22.02% in the last one year period.

The European mutual fund has a minimum initial investment of $2,000 and an expense ratio of 1.41% compared to a category average of 1.69%.
To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all European mutual funds, then click here. 

About Zacks Mutual Fund Rank
By applying the Zacks Rank to mutual funds, investors can find funds that not only outpaced the market in the past but are also expected to outperform going forward. Learn more about the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank at http://www.zacks.com/funds.

View All Zacks #1 Ranked Mutual Funds

Zacks Investment Research